Fluid meter



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l E. X. SCHMIDT FLUIJ METER Filed Nov. 18, 1920 (III III

` 35 and with the liquid within the tank.

Patented Mar. 5, i923.

antan EDWIN X. SCHMIDT, OF MILWAUKEE, WESCONSIN, ASSGNOR TO 'II-IECUTLER- HAMMER MFG. CO., OF MILVVAKEE, TWISCONSIN', A CORPORATION OFWIS- CONSIN.

Application ined November 18, 1920.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDwiN X. Serratura, acitizen of the `United `States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of vvlisconsin, have invented. new and usefulImprovements in Fluid Metersno-f which the following is a full, clear,`conc1se and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming a lo part of this specification.

This invention relates to fluid meters and moreparticularly tometersofthe wet dis-` placement type.

Such ymeters as heretofore constructed,

While satisfactory for ordinary purposes, nevertheless involve certainfeatures which tend toward s-light inaccuracy of performance, wherebythe same are inadapted to certain classes of service-wherein .a veryhigh degree of accuracy is'required, and the present invention has amongits objects that of obviating. such inaccuracy of'ineters of the typeaforementioned.

Anotherobject is that of improving :gen-

erally the structuraland operative characteristics of such meters. f

` `Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.l l f Y In aconventional form of wet displacement meter a drum or the like ismounted for rotation about a horizontal axis within a` tank containingsealingliquid, the drumhav-` ing an internal chamber in opencommunication with the source offluid to be meterd drum is alsoprovidedvwith circumferentially extending passages communicating withthe chamber of the drum in a relation such that upon rotation of thelatter a quantity of the 40 fluid to bemetered is entrapped betweenslugs or pistons of sealing liquid withineach of the-passagesandthereafter expelled froml the meter, the fluid being collected bysuitable means and the liquid being discharged into the tank. Duringsuch operationthe liquid circulates freely between the drum and the tankwhereas` obviously .the volume o-f fluid entrapped at each rotationl ofthe drum is determinediby the height of the liquid within the'chamber ofthe latter. Means are ordinarily provided for maintaining substantiallya constant height of liquid within the tank whereas in theory the liquidwithin vthe chamber will be automatically maintained rnnrn Marne.

Serial No. 424,823.

. at the same level owing to the aforementioned open communicationtherebetween.

However, owing to the relatively rapid circulation of liquid between thedrum and the tank the rate of reflux of fluid to the drum chamber tendsto fall below the rate of discharge of liquid therefrom, whereby thelevel of liquid in the chamber tends to `fall below that of the tank,such tendency i being more marked for the higher rotative speeds of thedrum, whereby the device is inadapted to meter accurately underconditions of variable speed.

Also where the fluid is of such character as to undergo absorption,involving all or certain of its constituents, by the sealing liquid afurther tendency to error is introduced, the amount of such absorptionbeing dependent upon numerous variable and indeterminate factors.`

According to the present invention it is proposed to practicallyeliminate the aforementioned circulation of the sealing liquid betweenthe tank and the drum, a bypass of ample dimensions being provided forconducting the discharged liquid back directly to the drum chamberwhereby the aforementioned tendency of the liquid level of said chamberto vary from that of the tankis removed. A free communication betweenthe tank and the drum chamber is, however, maintained to provide forcompensation for certain slight losses of the active portion of thesealing fluid due to possible leakage, vaporization or other cause. Suchactive portion of the sealing fluid being thus used repeatedly andpractically continuously without rmaterial loss or addition of freshfluid, becomes quickly saturated as regards any of the fluidconstituents capable of absorption thereby, whereby further absorptionis prevented and inaccuracy dueto such cause is eliminated.

In the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated an embodiment of theinvention,

. Fig. l is a side elevational view thereof, the liquid tank beingomitted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device including the tank andcontents; while Fig. 3 is an end view illustrating certain elements ofthe device more in detail.

In the drawing, a drum having a fluid inlet 6 and a fluid outlet 7 ismounted within a liquid containing tank 8 for rotation about ablesupporting brackets 2e and 25.

are secured tothe outer sides of the respectiv'e flanges 10 and 11andare provided with centrally located bosses 16 and 17 formingrespectively, in conjunction with the adja- "cent heads of the drum, aninlet chamber l18 and an outlet chamber 19 having respectively annularpassages 20 and 21.cominuni Keating with the severalopeniiigs of therespective flanges 10 and 11. Said end plates are further providedrespectively with centrally located hollow journals 22 and 23 forrotatable mounting of' the'drum within guitstantially similar U-tubes 26and 27 having their centralportions located within and in spacedrelation t'o the respective journals 22 and 23 vserve resiectivel toconduct ther fluid to the inlet chamber 1S and from the outlet 4chamber19. The tube 2G is spaced from ythe interior of the journal 22 at allpoints, thereby 'providing for open communi'c'ation between the inletchamber 1S and the interior of the tanlrS below the level of thecontained liquid, whereas the tube 27 includes a hollow boss 2S having ashoulder .29 to snugly engage the adjacent end of the 'journal 23 forpreventing direct communication between tlie outlet cha'inber 19 and theinterior of the tank. e

The body portion 9 of the drum is further provided with acentrallylocated 'enlarged passage 30 ado'rding direct lcom'mui'iication betweenthe inlet and outlet chambers below the Vlevel ofthe contained liquid'.

n th'e operation of' the structure afore- 1 -described,fit is obviousthat the sealing liquid lwhich is discharged into the outlet 'chamber 19isprevented from flowing into the tank,

but o'n the other hand such liquid is free to return directly to theinlet chamberthrough the "aforementioned passage 30 which is constructedofsuch size as to insure 'equalization of the heights of the liquid inthe two chambers.

p There is thus no material tendency for the level of liquid within theinlet Achamber to vary from that within the tank whereas theaforedescribed open communication 'between said inlet chamber and tankprovides automatic compensation for any lvariation inthe quantity ofliquid Within lthe drum due to vaporization, leakage v through thebearings or other cause.`

Also bythe foregoing construction and arrangement wherein the samesealing liquid lupon movement of said container and also is usedrepeatedly, inaccuracy of the meter due to absorption of the meteredfluid by the liquid is obviated.

1f desired, a gear 31 may be-rigidly secured to the'drumin the mannerillustrated, or otherwise, to provide forpoweroperation of the drum,whereby the device is adapted to act as a metering pump. i

`What lf claim as `new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. A wet displacementpuinp comprising piston liquid and a containertherefor movable to cause circulationof said liquid therewithin, saidcontainer having means to entrap 'fluid between portions of the liquidhaving therein a return .flow passage for the liquid. A i L 2. A deviceofthe character set forth comprising a rotatable member containing 55, asealing liquid anduhavingzapassage to convey therethroughvfluidentrapped between quantities of the sealing liquid said memberfurther having therein: a lcomplete Y circulating systeinfor the fluidlso utilized.

3. A self contained pump comprising piston liquid, a containerthereforrotatable to Y cause circulation of said liquid therewithin, saidcontainerhaving means to enti-ap fluid between portions of said liquidand also havingV a return passage for the liquid wholly within. saidcontainer, and means to compensate forlosses of .thepiston liquid due toabsorption thereof by such fluid.

` 4. A device. of' the character set .forth 100 comprising a rotatablemember containing a sealing liquidand having a. passageto conducttherethrough fluid entrapped between quantitiesof the sealing liquid andmeans for maintaining a` given height of' sealing `liquid 105 wit-hinsaid rotatable. member, the latter further having therein a' return flowpassage for the liquid utilizing to entrap such fluid.

' 5. A *wet 'displacement meter :comprising a rotatable drum havingend-chambers to `contain both rsealingliquid and fluid to be meter-ed7and .means providing connecting passages for said chambers including apassage to conduct fluid entrapped between quantities of the sealingliquid from one to theother of said chambers and 'ti-passage providingfor direct return 4flow, of the sealing liquid so utilized. i 'f 6. Awet displacement meter comprising a rotatable drum liavingencl-chamberstocontain both `sealing liquid and, fluid to be metered, andmeansproviding 'connecting passages for saidchambers including-'ra passage toconduct fluid eiitrapped between quantities 'of the 'sealing liquid fromone '215 .to theother of said chambers anda passage for direct returnflow ofthe'se'aling 'liquid so utilized `and means for maintaining aconstant height of sealing liquid'within'said chambers. .I L o 7. In awet displacement mete-r, the combination with a tank containing sealingliquid, of a ldrum rotatably carried within said tank and having endchambers containing sealing liquid, one of said chambers being connectedwith a source of fluid to be metered and the other of said chambershaving a stationary discharge orifice for such fluid, said drum havingmeans providing a plurality of connecting passages for said chambersincluding passages to conduct fluid entrapped between quantities of thesealing liquid from one tothe other of said chambers and a passageproviding for definite return flow of the liquid so utilized.`

8. In a wet displacement meter, the combination with a tank containingsealing liquid at a given height, of a drum rotatably carried withinsaid tank and having end chambers containing sealing liquid, one of saidchambers being connected with a source of fluid to be metered and theother ofsaid chambers having a stationary discharge orice for suchfluid, said drum having means providing a plurality of connectingpassages for said chambers including Vjpassages to conduct fluidentrapped between quantities of the sealing liquid from one tothe otherof said chambers and a passage providing for direct return flow of theliquid so utilized and means preventing direct communication betweencertain of said chambers and said tank.

9. In a wet displacement meter, the combination with a tank containingsealing liquid at a given height, of a drum rotatably carried withinsaid tank and having end chambers containing sealing liquid, one of saidchambers being connected with a source of fluid to be metered and theother' of said chambers having a stationary discharge orifice for .suchfluid, said drum having means providing a plurality of connectingpassages for saidv chambers including passages to conduct fluidentrapped between quantities of the sealing liquid from one to the otherof said chambers and a passage providing for direct return flow of theliquid so utilized, means providing a single opening for directcommunication between said chambers and said tank.

10. In a wet displacement meter, the combination with a tank containingsealing liquid at a given height, of a drum rotatably carried withinsaid tank and having end chambers containing sealing liquid, one of saidchambers being connected with a source of Huid to be metered and theother of said Vchambers having a stationary discharge orifice for suchfluid, said drum having means provi-ding a plurality of connectingpassages for said chambers including passages to conduct fluid entrappedbetween quantities of the sealing liquid from one to the other of' saidchambers and a passage providing for direct return fllow of the liquidso utilized, means providing for direct communication between said inletchamber and said tank and means preventing direct communication betweensaid discharge chamber and said tank.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWIN X. SCHMIDT.

